RHA Highlights VOSA's Sideguard Requirements 31 July 2007

Recent changes to VOSA's interpretation of the requirements for sideguards has caused considerable problems for operators when presenting certain vehicles for annual test. These include "short bodied" vehicles with cranes mounted behind the cab, those with sleeper cabs and some tankers. RHA Head of Technical Services, Steve Biddle said: "In 2000 VOSA advised that sideguards on an incorrect dimension should not be failed. It has become apparent that sideguards have been fitted to some vehicles that do not comply with legislation, due to sections not being fitted where they are required. This situation was not anticipated and has resulted in non compliant vehicles passing at annual test. An document issued in October 2006 highlighted the issue and instructed that a vehicle should fail if part of the guard is missing". (This instruction has now been superseded by Memo 17/07). Due to the number of apparent non-compliant vehicles encountered and representation made by the RHA on behalf of members it has been decided to advise operators of non-compliance in respect of part of sideguard missing until April 2008, thus allowing industry time to resolve the situation. Sideguards rails should be fitted where regulations require them and measurements checked to establish whether a part is missing. Until April 08 a vehicle should not be failed for a sideguard section missing, but you will be informed that the vehicle is non compliant and will fail in the future.

FTA Welcomes Government comitment to doubling use of rail freight 25 July 2007

The Freight Transport Association has welcomed the commitment by the Government to plan for a doubling of rail freight traffic by 2030 and to the development of a Strategic Freight Network. The policies emerged in the Rail White Paper and the associated English and Welsh High Level Output Specification published by the Department for Transport. There will be a budget of £200 million for spending between now and 2014 on developing rail freight projects. FTA's Rail Freight Policy Manager Chris MacRae said, 'This is a good ambition for the Government to set, and demonstrates the capacity of the rail network to ease the burden on our congested roads and provide real environmental and economic benefits. 'The immediate funding of £200 million over the next five year control period is good news and should provide a substantial increase in the freight capacity of the network. However, it should be noted that £200 million, while very welcome, is less than two per cent of the £10 billion that Government is committing to spend on enhancing capacity over the whole railway network in that period. 'It is less clear at this stage what the proposed Strategic Freight Network will mean in practice. This could be a very useful initiative but will need to be a practical development, not just a new label on existing or refined capacity. FTA will want to work with the Government to make sure that there is real progress.' FTA also welcomed the White Paper's acknowledgement of the need to take a holistic approach to the UK's transport needs, taking into consideration all possible modes of transport together rather than just assessing a single mode. The need for this was set out in the Eddington Report, and FTA is pleased that the Government has said it will address issues in a multi-modal fashion in the future. The White Paper reiterates the immediate areas for developing freight infrastructure capacity as identified in Network Rail's Freight Route Utilisation Strategy and the Transport Innovation Fund bids. To build on this, FTA has produced a briefing paper setting out industry's needs for future rail freight infrastructure. This can be accessed at the following link: http://www.fta.co.uk/information/keycampaigns/railcampaign/funding_england.p df The Department for Transport has separately announced funding from the Transport Innovation Fund for the Gospel Oak to Barking diversionary freight route enhancement, and Freight Facilities Grant funding for a range of rail facility connections, as well as environmental support for modal retention to rail of some freight flows under the Rail Environmental Benefits Procurement Scheme. The total is £20 million. However, FTA points out that, while welcome, the disparate nature of this funding and its processes do not always make it easy for companies planning to use rail to be certain of future funding. This issue is highlighted in FTA's Rail Freight Infrastructure Funding document, available at: http://www.fta.co.uk/information/keycampaigns/railcampaign/rail_funding.pdf

FTA Welcomes local authority roadworks powers - but more can be done 25 July 2007

The Freight Transport Association has welcomed the recent Government announcement of a new package of measures for local authorities to reduce congestion and disruption caused by roadworks. These new powers will undoubtedly enable local authorities to reduce the impact of roadworks, for the benefit of all road users, by introducing a system to improve the co-ordination of roadworks by utility companies so that they are undertaking their respective improvements at the same time and in the same location rather than at different times. But FTA says there is much more that local authorities can do in respect of reducing congestion and disruption, especially for industry. Stephen Kelly, FTA's Head of Urban Access Policy said, 'All road users detest the sight of roadworks, which lead to increased journey times and driver frustration. Indeed there is nothing more frustrating than seeing the same stretch of road being dug up at different times and by different companies. We all recognise that beneath our road network is a different type of infrastructure which needs constant maintenance and that companies like gas or water suppliers need to carry out repairs and improvements where necessary and appropriate. The new powers given to local authorities will ensure that such works are co-ordinated more efficiently and effectively, for the benefit of all road users. 'In addition FTA has developed guidance for commercial vehicles to undertake more night-time deliveries and is keen to work with local authorities on setting up pilot trials to demonstrate the positive impacts that could be achieved. Industry has made great strides in improving its environmental performance - all we want is a chance to demonstrate this by working more in partnership with local authorities.'